Local Cultural Council seeks input on grants

LYNN – Artists pursuing creative endeavors can get a financial boost from the Local Cultural Council, which annually awards grants ranging from $200 to $2,000.The council plans to hold a public meeting on Thursday, Sept. 20, at LynnArts, Inc., 25 Exchange St. in Central Square, to discuss the Local Cultural Council Grants Program and invite feedback on the grant-making process.The LynnArts Grants Committee serves as an integral part of the local council, which is funded through the larger Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), a state agency. The MCC provides allocations to each of the state’s 351 towns and cities to support cultural activities.This is the largest program of its kind in the U.S. and awards funding for the arts, artists, humanities, and interpretive sciences at the grassroots level. Grants range from $200 to $2,000, though most awards are between $200 and $500.Administered by 2,500 municipally appointed volunteers, the LCC network consists of 329 councils serving all Massachusetts communities. Each year, local councils award more than $2 million in grants to more than 5,000 cultural programs statewide. These include school field trips, afterschool programs, concerts, festivals, lectures, theater, dance, music, and film. LCC projects take place in schools, community centers, libraries, elder care facilities, town halls, parks, and wherever communities come together.Discussion topics on the meeting agenda in Lynn include how to apply to the program, funding criteria, and common application errors. Plans are also under way to expand the 2008 local Grants Committee, according to LynnArts Director Susan Halter.To learn more about this program and to obtain application forms, go online to the MCC website at http://www.massculturalcouncil.org, or contact Halter at LynnArts at 781-598-5244.